TradeCentre: Tuesday's reports from around the NHL

The NHL's Mar. 5 Trade Deadline is drawing closer and teams will be deciding on whether to buy or sell while figuring out which players can make the biggest difference and hold the greatest value.

Check out today's trade-related reports and speculation from around the NHL beat. And follow TSN.ca through Deadline Day for all the updates.

Improving the Champs?

Do the defending Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks need to be even better? Chicago Sun-Times reporter Mark Lazerus spoke to Comcast Sportsnet and recalled last season's acquisition of Michal Handzus and said, "I think just like last year (GM Stan Bowman will) be in the market for a center. I don't know if it will be quote-unquote a second-line center, but they do need some depth down at the middle," Lazerus told CSN's Pat Boyle.

Lazerus said that the Blackhawks are currently carrying a surplus of defencemen and could use one potentially as trade bait.

Bigger in Texas

Dallas Stars GM Jim Nill spoke to Mike Heika of the Dallas Morning News and discussed his team's ability, if they choose, to trade draft picks for roster players because the team has the cap space to allow such a deal. Nill would not get into player specifics, but Heika suggested in his article that pending unrestricted free agents Vernon Fiddler and Ray Whitney could be desirable to other clubs. Heika also noted that Sergei Gonchar, Erik Cole, and Shawn Horcoff each have one year left on their deals and with a rising salary cap, their manageable costs might be attractive to teams as well.

Leaky Pipes

The Minnesota Wild are struggling with injuries to both of their goalies, Niklas Backstrom and Josh Harding. Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune reports that Wild GM Chuck Fletcher has talked trade with some teams, but the market is drying up with Devan Dubnyk and Ben Scrivens now off the board after they were moved last week. Russo says the team has talked internally about signing free agent Jose Theodore in case they need some insurance. Theodore is living in South Florida and has been working out throughout the season just in case a call comes.

(Photo: The Canadian Press)

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